Dugout Discussion
21 September 2025 565 comments
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There are two Premier League matches kicking off at 14:00 BST today, with high-flying Bournemouth facing Newcastle United and Sunderland hosting Aston Villa, who are without a win or goal scored this season.

TEAM NEWS

Andoni Iraola makes two changes to the side that beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 last week.

Alex Jimenez and Bafode Diakite start, as James Hill and Veljko Milosavljevic make way.

Eddie Howe makes seven alterations from the midweek Champions League defeat to Barcelona, handing starts to Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman, Lewis Hall, Joe Willock, Lewis Miley, Jacob Murphy and Nick Woltemade.

Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes drop to the bench, while Anthony Gordon is suspended and Fabian Schar is ruled out due to concussion protocols.

At The Stadium of Light, Regis Le Bris brings in Chris Rigg and Enzo Le Fee for the injured Habib Diarra and benched Simon Adingra.

Aston Villa’s two changes see Boubacar Kamara and Evann Guessand replace Lamare Bogarde and Youri Tielemans, who picked up a calf injury last weekend.

Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho are both named among the substitutes.

LINE-UPS

Bournemouth XI: Petrovic, Jimenez, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert, Scott, Adams, Semenyo, Tavernier, Brooks, Evanilson

Subs: Dennis, Soler, Christie, Doak, Kluivert, Adli, Kroupi Jr, Hill, Milosavljevic

Newcastle United XI: Pope, Livramento, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Hall, Willock, Miley, Tonali, Murphy, Woltemade

Subs: Ramsdale, Trippier, Lascelles, Joelinton, Barnes, Krafth, Osula, Elanga, Guimaraes


Sunderland XI: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Reinildo, Xhaka, Rigg, Sadiki, Talbi, Le Fee, Isidor

Subs: Patterson, Neil, Ballard, Geertruida, Brobbey, Mayenda, Adingra, Traore, Masuaku

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Kamara, McGinn, Buendia, Rogers, Guessand, Watkins

Subs: Bizot, Pau, Lindelof, Maatsen, Bogarde, Jimoh, Elliott, Sancho, Malen

565 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Pino
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Come on Watkins!

    1. DeSelby
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Hey, he just touched the ball. What do you want? Only went 18 minutes without getting a touch.

  2. Nightcrawler
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Watkins will definitely score now. Silly from Sunderland player

    1. Pedersen
      1 year, 1 month ago

      He will manage to dodge them all!

    2. Feanor
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Redcardo giving Watkins owners hope

    3. Cruyff's Eleven
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Not on current evidence. 7 touches all game.

    4. Porkchops Johnson
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      I have him myself but sorry, he won't. Even against 10 men Villa are looking absolute garbage:(

  3. SINGH
    1 year, 1 month ago

    I captained Semenyo thinking he will attach but he is taking throwings lol

    1. Sun God Nika
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Let’s hope for DefCon

  4. FOREST FOREVER 2
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Where are the Goals?

    1. chocolove
      1 year, 1 month ago

      All used up yesterday

    2. Pedersen
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Coming from Haaland later today

      1. SINGH
        1 year, 1 month ago

        Consolation at best after going down 5 - 0

      2. FOREST FOREVER 2
        1 year, 1 month ago

        As a capper I won't mind.

  5. Toast and Spy
    1 year, 1 month ago

    so at 37 mins, there's no way Ballard can get clean sheet points? Or does injury time count

    1. Haa-lala-land
      1 year, 1 month ago

      I'll be interested to know this as well

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        1 year, 1 month ago

        No

    2. Mambino
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      don't get them unless you start

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        1 year, 1 month ago

        60 mins

        So you can if you come on before 30 mins

        1. Mambino
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          1 year, 1 month ago

          oh, ok - I thought you had to start for some reason

      2. Feanor
        1 year, 1 month ago

        False

    3. Tonyawesome69
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Injury time does not count.

    4. Studs Up
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      8 + 45 mins

    5. Cruyff's Eleven
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Effective playing time, injury time does not count.

      1. Pedersen
        1 year, 1 month ago

        Please tell FPL towers this so I can get back my -1 for 2 goals concede Sanchez...

    6. Toast and Spy
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Well that seems silly. Oh well

  6. Haa-lala-land
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Roefs 11 pointer loading

    1. KAPTAIN KANE SERVES THE PAI…
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Villa have to shoot for that 😆 😆 😆

  7. Cruyff's Eleven
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Villa look utterly bereft of ideas.

    Even against 10 men, they look hapless.

    1. Haa-lala-land
      1 year, 1 month ago

      As last last season, when did well, they have the same players, same manager, same tactics.
      So I guess that means that the other teams have changed something that negates whatever they did were doing right before, system wise. What that something is I have no clue.

  8. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Rogers needs a rocket up his arse. Another pathetic display.

  9. F4L
    1 year, 1 month ago

    look forward to seeing wissa play with woltemade up top. could be great

  10. Dynamic Duos
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Why is Emery not starting Elliott, is he anti goals?

  11. The Philosopher
    1 year, 1 month ago

    If Watkins doesn't score even against 10 men now.......

    1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      1 year, 1 month ago

      There shouldn't be an if in that statement.

    2. Gizzachance
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Got Roger’s an Watkins!
      Gone after this week even if they manage something v a 10 man promoted team

    3. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      It's not all about Watkins
      How about if Villa don't score v 10 men
      But having said that Sunderland have a decent defence & dig in even more now down to 10.

  12. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Buendia, Rogers and Guessand should be subbed at HT. Utterly woeful.

  13. FPL Sanky
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Senesi half way through the defcon points....5 more to go lad

    1. More Tragic
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Burn already there

      😎

    2. Twisted Saltergater
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      He’s on the end of every Newcastle attack. Some defenders are just a magnet to the ball!

  14. GoonerSteve
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Where are my Chalobah defcon points?

  15. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    1 year, 1 month ago

    I nearly Bench Boost: Dubravka (4), Reinildo (-2), Josh King (1), Dewsbury-Hall (1)

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      1 year, 1 month ago

      I deactivated it at 10:30am after seeing the weather up north

    2. GoonerSteve
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Dodged a bullet.

      Meanwhile, I bench boosted Dubravka (4), Esteve (4), Gudmundsson (4), Reijnders (tbc) and feeling pretty happy.

  16. Tonyawesome69
    1 year, 1 month ago

    No urgency from Villa. Elliot and/or Sancho on to quicken the play and add width against deep block

  17. Twisted Saltergater
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    At what price would people consider Watkins?

    a. 9m+ - he’s the main character
    b. 8m - still got it
    c. 7m - not on pens
    d. 6m - Villa not clicking
    e. 5m - WSM reject

    1. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      At the moment I don't think I'd want him in my squad even if he was for free !
      Taking up a valuable striker slot .

  18. HadiSLIM
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    I do NOT want to wildcard now.... I want GW8...

    But double villa (Watkins and Rogers) stinking up my team every week tempting me to press it now....

    1. Brosstan
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Patience will be rewarded surely

    2. Gizzachance
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Same, also wirtz all blanking each week

  19. Brosstan
    1 year, 1 month ago

    I was promised points from Semenyo. What the h is going on at the Vitality

  20. Tonyawesome69
    1 year, 1 month ago

    HT defcons update (select players):
    Burn 10
    Semenyo 8
    Senesi 5
    Alderete 7
    Xhaka 5
    Watkins 1

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Alderete is god

    2. Brosstan
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Is Semenyo getting DC as well? Even more essential

  21. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Keane would be complaining if he was sent off for that

    Soft really

    1. THE Wild Rover
      1 year, 1 month ago

      What?

  22. Hughes Your Daddy
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Only just catching up on the scores, playing my Bench Boost this week with Reinildo on it will not be a highlight for sure 🙁

    1. Zimo
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Reinildo and Sanchez here. We're not in the same league :p

      1. Hughes Your Daddy
        1 year, 1 month ago

        😮

      2. Zimo
        1 year, 1 month ago

        What's worse is Sunderland will keep a clean sheet too lol

    2. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 1 month ago

      And do you have Sanchez? Sorry, not trying rubbing it ...

  23. FPL Scoop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Damn, benched Burn and Gudmundsson for VdV and Munoz this week. Bench killing it (the bar is low…)!

  24. theshazly
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Wirtz to ?

    A ) King
    B ) Stach
    C ) Xhaka
    D ) Brooks

    So I can do Watkins > Haaland

    1. theshazly
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Wanna do King but afraid he might be benched

      1. Mambino
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        1 year, 1 month ago

        Stach

    2. Tonyawesome69
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Stach

    3. Pep Roulette
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Stach

    4. Mr. O'Connell
      1 year, 1 month ago

      The one who got the most points this week

  25. All Hail K
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Looks like Ballard could be ready to start against NFO next week.

    1. THE Wild Rover
      1 year, 1 month ago

      Hope so, although I will likely bench him regardless.

  26. Tonyawesome69
    1 year, 1 month ago

    No Villa subs at HT...

  27. JBG
    1 year, 1 month ago

    Semenyo has been so bad... my C. 2 other options blanked, let's see whar Robot does

  28. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 1 month ago

    I need a Woltemade goal so bad. Played him and benched Petrovic and Senesi

  29. Pep Roulette
    1 year, 1 month ago

    If Rogers doesn't do anything against 10 men Sunderland, he's surely out of my team

  30. Mr. O'Connell
    1 year, 1 month ago

    God hits the bar